Tuesday, 2 November 2010

With security costs at UK Airports set to soar in response to the recent Al Qaeda bomb threats, Plimsoll asks the question, "Which of the 138 companies that operate the UK's Airports can absorb the increased cost?"

85 of these companies are already in a precarious state financially and there is a fear in the industry that any new legislation or rules (from what Michael O'Leary calls "securicrats") will push up operators costs to a tipping point.

1 in 3 operators are now making a loss so they have little choice but to increase their prices accordingly, further adding to the cost of flying from the UK. With other European airports not being hamstrung by the controversial Air Passenger Duty intorduced by the UK coalition govetnment, there is a real danger that foreign carriers will look to other major European hubs for their key routes.

So, coupled with even more tax and now these extra security, is the UK set to lose its valuable trans-atlantic hub status and what effect will this have on the companies that run our Airports?